Jay Gillian projected to win 5th term as Ocean City's mayor
OCEAN CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- It appears Ocean City voters have re-elected incumbent Mayor Jay Gillian, despite a challenge from two high-profile opponents.
With 100% of precincts reporting, Gillian leads the field with about 43% of the vote.
Council member Keith Hartzell is second with 35%, followed by Council Vice President Pete Madden with 20%.
Mail-in ballots still need to be counted before the results are certified.
If the results hold, Gillian would secure a fifth term as mayor.
"I want to thank my family, campaign volunteers and everyone who supported me in this important election," Gillian said in a statement Tuesday night.
"I also want to congratulate Pete and Keith on their well-run campaigns. Now it's time to bring unity back to the community and get to work. Ocean City is a wonderful place to live, work and play, and I'm looking forward to continuing our mission to make it even better for generations to come," the statement continued.
A central issue in the campaign was the future of Gillian's Wonderland Pier, which has remained vacant since closing in 2024. The former amusement destination has become a focal point for residents concerned about redevelopment.
"I think something needs to be done with the old Wonderland sooner vs. later," said Mim Schreck of Ocean City before the polls closed.
Gillian, who once owned Wonderland Pier, said when it closed that the business was no longer viable, drawing disappointment from visitors. Since then, the shuttered park's new owner and developer, Eustace Mita, has proposed building a luxury hotel on the site -- "Icona in Wonderland" -- but those plans have stalled while awaiting rezoning and city approval.
The candidates differ on how to move forward.
Hartzell, who was running for mayor for a second time, said he supported a scaled-down version of the proposed redevelopment. He said a smaller hotel could balance economic goals and community concerns.
"That's kind of the best of both worlds. We'll get that luxury feel that we want. A little smaller, the same amenities. The thing we need the most is parking," Hartzell said.
Madden, a first-time mayoral candidate, backed the developer's current proposal and emphasized working collaboratively to advance the project.
"I think there's a good proposal on the table from the investor that owns the property. So to me, we have to work with him to get the best solution with the hotel that he's proposed," Madden said.
Gillian pushed back on his challengers, noting their roles on council and responsibility in the approval process.
"We went out of business, and it's in the council's hands. It's legislative. So to keep coming back at the mayor for this, it's just a shame. Because this should've been taken care of already," Gillian said.
Ocean City's mayoral election is nonpartisan, meaning candidates do not run under a political party affiliation.
In addition to the mayoral contest, voters appear to have selected Jim Kelly, Sean Barnes and Tony Polcini for the three at-large council seats.
